The Scotch Presbyterian eloquence, or, The foolishness of their teaching discovered from their books, sermons and prayers and some remarks on Mr. Rule's late Vindication of the kirk

To the R. H. P. and P. of the K; the most G. and very G. P. of the present P. of the C. in Scotland, E. C.

My L.

AS there was never any Book and Pa∣tron more suited to one another, than this Book is to your Lp; so there were never any Reasons more satisfy∣ing than those that have iniduced me to this De∣dication: For, first, if in this Incredulous Age, some men should charge the following Relati∣tions of any falshoods; it were an injustice done to your Lp, to pretend, that any man is so capa∣able to vindicate them as your Lp; who amidst the throng of so much Ecclesiastick and Civil Bu∣siess at Court (from which you are now fain to retire for case and refreshment to your wonted Solitude in the Country) have been very con∣stant and close in the study of those extraordina∣ry Books cited in this Pamphlet; and so unwea∣ried a hearer of those wonderful Preachers of whom I now treat, that you have every day heard them with joy for many hours together; and never fail'd, with your own hand, to write those learned and Elaborate Discourses I have here published; and many more of the like na∣ture; in which Zeal (to your glory and to the shame of other Professors be it spoken) you had no equal, but one Reverend Ruling Elder, a Bon∣net-maker in Leithweind.

So that, My L▪ this Dedication is but only the offering to you some few of the rare Sayings, and comprehensive Sentences which grace and adorn those Papers that your Lp. has been at such pains to collect, and are still so careful to preserve; and which you justly value more than all the Rights and Charters of your very oppulent and flourishing Fortune. My L. the easie access which these high and mighty Preachers have e∣ver allow'd your Lp. to their company, joyn'd to that vast Experience which you have now ac∣quired in the Stile of the Cura••es, by your al∣lowing them so fairly and fully to make their de∣fences at the Council-board, gives you such a title to judge of the Works of these Contending Parties, as ••o••e but your self can pretend to: Your Lp. knows well, that it's in possible for the ablest Curate or Prelate amongst them all, to imitate the precious, powerful, Soul-ravishing, Heart-serarching Elequence of those Sons of Thun∣der, Kirkrone, Rule, Schilds, Areskine, Chrightone, Dickson, &c. and that there is such a real diffe∣rence betwixt their Sermons and that of the Prelatical Party, that if the first be Gospel, as your Lp. is fully perswaded; then it must be received by all men, for an unquestionable truth, that the Gospel was never preached in Scotland when Prelacy prevail'd in it, as your Lp. and the Godly party you Patronize, have often af∣firm'd: And tho' this were not evident to all that compare the Works of the present Profes∣sors with those of their Opposits, yet your Lps. simple word would pass in the World for a suffi∣cient proof of it, Lying, Slandering, or the least known falshood being infinitely below such a true Gentleman: Nay, there is no Heroick Vir∣tue more conspicuous in your Lp, than your Ve∣racity, which hath so fill'd the Minds and Mouths of all who intimately know you, that it must needs one day make a considerable figure in the account of your Lps. Life, which cannot miss to see the light in a short time, being, that for those three years last past, you have so suc∣cessfully laboured to furnish plenty of Memoirs and Authors for such a work.

But, 2dly. Some of the Malignants, who have no tast for such Spiritual Sayings, as daily drop from the Pens and Tongues of the Covenanted Brethren, may accuse the Books and Sermons here cited of Nonsense; but for as ill natured as the World is grown, they must own, that your Lp. has been very long, and very intimately ac∣quainted with the truest and best Nonsense; so that being a complete Master of it your self, it must be allowed that you are also a very good Judge. Besides, My L. the Curates them∣selves cannot deny, but that your Lp. is fully qualified to judge of the Works of such learned men as are spoke of in this Treatise; if they consider your wonderful knowledge of, and great concern for the Mother University at St. Andrews, which had the happiness to be nearest to your Lp, and to be your particular charge; and the Kingdom is not unsensible how you Reformed and Purged it throughly, with such unspeakable Justice and Impartially, that even aged Gentlemen, Drs. of Divinity, and Heads of Colledges, some who had been your Lordships own Masters, and one your Kinsman, had not he least regard nor respect from you, because of their wanting Covenant Grace, without which no man is valuable in your Lps. Eyes: Let men but consider with what deliberation & fore∣fight

you did proceed, and what Prudent and Learned Advice you did follow in providing for the Education of the rising Generation in that Society; and then they can never doubt of your being wonderfully qualified both to be a Pa∣tron and a Judge of this Book.

These Considerations, joyned to that of your Lps. unexpressible Merit (for which I want a Comparison) naturally led me to beg you would take the following Flowers of Presbyteri∣an Eloquence into your Protection, as cordially as you do the Anthors of them: If your Lps. unknown Modesty would allow it, I could tell the World in a few words, some of your natu∣ral and acquired Endowments: To your Cou∣rage and Conduct which are equal, you have added such a success, as to raise the Church and State of Scotland to be the wonder and amaze∣ment of the World: Such burning and un∣quenchable Zeal; such strange and unaccoun∣table Prudence, and unparallel'd Piety hath ap∣pear'd in all your publick Actions, that if o∣thers had but wrought together with your Lp. in any measure, then I dare say (as your Lp. excellently words it, in your pious printed Speech to the Parliament) A greater dispatch had been made of the Prelatists, and many ho∣nest suffering Ministers e're now had been delive∣red of their pinches; and the Enemies of the Kirk and Covenant had evanished, as they did lately from Court, when your Lp. condescend∣ed to appear in person at it: It is to you that the Nation owes her miraculous deliverance from the Idolatries of the Creed, Lords-Prayer, and Gloria Patri: It's your Lp. that hath re∣scued us from the Superstitions of observing Christmass, Easter, and Whitsunday, and from all the Popish fopperies of Cassocks, close sleev'd Gowns and Girdles: It's your Lp. that enriched Their Majesties Treasure with the Re∣venues of fourteen fat Bishops, and with admi∣rable expedition have voided more than half of the Churches of the Kingdom; and ad∣vanced such a set of Preachers as it is cer∣tain, never flourished in any period of the Church of Scotland under any of their Ma∣jesties Predecessors; and now that some malig∣nant Lords have been brought into the Council again; your Lp. hath retir'd from it, bravely scorning to sit at the same Board with the Op∣posers of the Cause.

My L. tho' the times have been reeling and dangerous, yet your Lp. has, by extraordinary management, put your self beyond the great∣est reach and Malice of Fortune, for you have, indeed, deserved well of all Parties; K. James is obliged to thank you for the real Service you have done him; and K. William for your good Will to serve His Majesty: The Presbyte∣rian Clergy own their good Livings to you; and the Episcopal Divines are bound to you, for advancing them to the Honour of being Confessors: The stubborn Highlanders owe all their Composition-money to your Lp; and the West Country Rabble were highly enriched by your Lp's Countenauce and Protection: You scorn that malignant way of making your Pa∣lace a Cooks Shop for Strangers; but tho' your Commons be short, yet, it's well known, that your Graces are long; at least after Dinner, the full length of a Curates Sermon, and that is three quarters of an hour: There is one thing more that your Lordship is most remarkable for, and that is, your daily practice of Family Duty; it's well known, that there have been more new Creatures begotten in your Lp's Fa∣mily, than in any other we have yet heard of; and in this matter, such is your great Goodness and Humility, that you condescend often to al∣low to some of your Servants, the Paternal Ho∣nour that's known to be due to your Lp. But all these, and many more such like extraordi∣nary Qualifications which the World admire in your Lordship, are nothing to those Supernatu∣ral Gifts and Graces which are so evident in all your Actions, that you often take God to wit∣ness, that you never make one step without the special Assistance and Direction of the Holy Ghost.

My L. these and other Reasons (that I now omit, since I hope this shall not be the last Ad∣dress of this nature) makes me bold to give your Lp. this trouble, and humbly to beg your Pro∣tection to what you so much value, and that you would but once at least, grant the Petiti∣on of,

My L.

Your Lp's most Obedient, and most Obliged Servant, Jacob Curate.